Control for die casting machines for plastic masses



H, GASTROW March 3l, 1936.

CONTROL FOR DIE CASTING MACHINES FOR PLASTIC MASSES Filed DeC. l0, 1954. 2 SheeoS-Sheei'l 1 March 3l, 1936. H, GASTROW 2,035,801

CONTROL FOR DIE CASTING MACHINES FOR PLASTIC MASSES I Filed Deo. lo, 1934 B'SheetS-Slee 2 Patented Mar. 3l, 1936- UNITED STATES CONTROL FOR DIE CASTING MACHINES FOB PLASTIC MASSES um Gesu-ow, zum in Anhalt, Germany Application December 10,1934, Serial No. '156,879

ny January 10, 1934 9 claims. (ci. isi- 12) 'Ihis invention relates to installations for die castingplastic materials, more particularly those of the` condensation product or synthetic resin type, the constituents of which are rendered more or less iiuid by heat.

In my copending application Serial No. '701,229 there is described a machine for casting such plastic material with an electric drive in which the movement of the drive motor completely conforms with that of the injecting piston, which forces the heated material under high pressure through a nozzle into the mold, there being substantially synchronous movement of the motor and piston. 'I'he motor vand piston come simultaneously to a. standstill and the reciprocation of the injecting piston is obtained by reversing the rotation of the motor. In a drive oi?` this kind the control of the motor is influenced by the movement ofthe injecting. piston, as described in the said application. Control by theinjecting lpiston can be obtained directly only in dependence on its travel, and to obtain control over those steps of the die casting operation during which no piston travel takes place, time relays are provided which are energized through contacts operated by the injecting piston.

An object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the movement of the injecting piston is `also subject to control and timing by certain mold operations included in the functioning of themachine. .Another object of the invention is to ensure that the opening and closing loi the mold and its approach to and retraction from the injection nozzle of the machine, shall take placev only in dependence upon the movement ofthe piston, or the duration of the compression in the mold.

l A further object of the invention is to provide a complete automatic control system interlinking both the piston driveand drive in an organized working cycle.

According to the invention the control of the motor and of the mold operating mechanism are mutually related mechanically and in timing and an electric motor is also employed for driving said mechanism.

In'the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the injection molding apparatus,

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the mold closing device,

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and Y Fig. 4 is the circuit arrangement of the automatic injection molding plant.

' The injection molding device is shown on the Athe mold operating right hand side of Fig. 1. I is the supply hopper and 2 the cylinder in which operates the injection piston 3. The heating cylinder la is provided with electric heating means 4. At its front end it is provided with a nozzle 5 equipped with 5 a cock 6 which is actuated by way of a linkage 'I in dependence upon the position of the working piston 3 so that material is admitted to the mold only under predetermined `conditions,

namely during the actual injection stroke of the l0 piston. Consequently there is no premature admission of the material into the mold and no wastage or leakage. The two part mold is indicated by 8.

The injection or working piston 3 constitutes 15 a part of the piston rod I0 which is journaled in a hollow shaft |I provided with a helical thread.

'I'he shaft is slidable but is held against rotation in the housing I2 by means of keys |2a,

the housing `/I2 also carrying a hollow shaft I3 20` which has a corresponding internal thread and is rotatably -joumaled by means of ball bearings I la. The shaft I3 serves for driving the shaft II and is provided on itsoutside with a worm wheel -Ila which is driven by means of a worm Il 25 1 which is secured on the shaft I5 of the driving motor A and is mounted in known manner in ball bearings I8.

In accordance with the direction of rotation the Vmotor A rotates the hollow shaft I3 to the 30 right or to the left by way of the gearing I4, Ida and thereby occasions a displacement of the shaft I| in the longitudinal direction in one sense or the other. The transmission of the motion of the shaft II to the piston III is eil'ected by way of 35 an interposed spring 23 which is arranged in the housing 2|. 'I'he housing 2| is rigidly secured to the shaft |I by ineens of the thread 20. Screwed to the rod IIl'is a tube I l provided with a collar I! and between the collar I8 and the cover 22 40 screwed into the housing 2| is located the spring 23 already referred to. The motion of the shaft |I is thus in the first place transmitted to the housing 2| and thus to the collar 22 and then by way of the spring 23 to the collar I3, the 45 tube I8 and thus to the piston rod I0. 'I'his construction of the drive corresponds to that described in my application for patent above referred to. v

Provided on lthe spring housing 2| are cam 50 which by means of lateral lugs 26a, 21a 55 as the toggle encounters an abutment ylil.

are guided on rails 26a, 26h secured to the bed plate. The plates 26h and 2lb which are screwed to the corresponding mold carriages serve for mounting the mold sections 9.

The mold carriage 26 is driven by way of a toggle lever which consists of a crank 29 and a rod 36. The rod 30 is threaded at both ends and is screwed into sleeves 36a and 36h. The sleeve 36h is pivotally mounted on a shaft 3i in the mold carriage 26 and the sleeve 36a is pivotally mounted on the crank 29 which is keyed to a shaft 32. The shaft 32 is journaled in the rails 26a, 28h and for driving the toggle linkage is provided with a toothed segment 33a which can be driven by the mould closing motor F by way of a worm gear 34a, 34h and a pinion 33h. The segment constitutes a part of the crank 26. drawing shows the mold in the closed position.

The mold carriage 27 which in the known arrangements is not constructed as a slidable carriage but is xed, is in accordance with the invention arranged to slide on the rails 28a and 26h. It is subjected to the action of four springs 35 which are arranged on either side of the carriage and are inserted in bores in the carriage. The other ends of the springs 35 abut against stops 36a, 36h on the rails 28a, 26h and tend to urge the mold carriage 2l away from the nozzle 5. The travel of the mold carriage in both directions is limited by means of stops, the motion to the right being limited by stops 31a, 3 'lb and the motion tothe left by threaded bolts 38h passing through the stops 36a and 36h.

The object of the springs 35 is to hold the mold closed during the withdrawal motion of the mold carriage 26 until the mold carriage 27 abuts against the front stops 36a and 36h. It is only from this moment that the mold itself commences to open. In this way the mold whichhas been lled and which is now to be cooled, is withdrawn from the injection nozzle 5. This ls necessary as otherwise the material in the nozzle would also solidify due to the cooling.

Provided on a cross member 4l in the mold closing mechanism is an ejector 48 which occasions the ejection of the molded element from the mold. For this purpose a part ofthe section of the mold carried .on the mold carriage 26 is replaced by a movable bolt 39 with an extension 39a against which the ejector 48 abuts on the rearward motion of the carriage 26. The molded element is ejected and falls into a collecting receptacle, which is not shown.

For controlling the electric operations a time switch 49 is provided which is actuated as soon This time switch disconnects the motor F and applies control to the motor A. Also provided on the mold carriage 26 is a cam 42 which operates a switch contact, not shown, for' reversing the direction of rotation-of the motor F and for actuating a time switch 43 (Fig. 4) which again influences the motion of the motor F.

An extension u is provided, on the shaft s2 no receive a lever 45 for effecting manual actuation of the mold closing device.

Fig. 4 shows the circuit arrangement of anin- The element which has been molded has just been ejected.

Starting from this instant, the following working phases are obtained:

(l.) Switching in the motor F of the closing device until the mold 9 is closed and the toggle lever engages the abutment 4l with simultaneous actuation of the time switch 46.

(2) Cutting out the motor F by the time switch d6 and switching in the motor A for rotation in the working direction, i. e. of the arrow shown in Fig. 4, after a time interval adjusted on the time switch 46 by means of a pointer 46.

(3) Switching over the working motor A to the reverse direction of rotation after the expiry of a time determined by the time switch and interrupting this motion by means of contacts which are controlled by the cam element 25.

(4) Switching in the motor F for rotation in the direction to open themold at the end of the opening motion of the working motor A, by means of the cam element 24.

:interrupting this motion by the time switch 43 for a time determined by this switch and reenergizing the motor F in the opening direction after the expiry of this time.

(6) Continuing the opening motion up to the cutting out of the motor F by means of a contact controlled by the mold carriage 26.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 4 serves for carrying `out the switching operations necessary for the above mentioned phases of the working operation. A three-phase slip-ring armature motor is chosen for the motor A and a short circuited armature motor is chosen for the motor F; naturally direct current motors 'or three phase motors of other construction can be employed.

Both motors A and F can be connected to the three phase supply R, S, T by way of two arbitrarily operable magnetically actuated switches 50, 5l or 52, 53. By mutual locking by means of the contacts 54, 55 or 56, 51, it is ensured that only one of the switches can be switched in at any time for each motor. For switching on the motors in the forwarddirection, i. e., the closing direction for the motor F and the working direction of the piston 3 for the motor A, coils 58 and 59 are employed and the coils 60 and 6I are employed for. the connection for the reverse directions. The coil 56 is thrown in by means of a press button 62 which when actuated gives rise to the following circuit when the apparatus is in the position shown.

From the phase S a current ows through the conductor v63a to the coil 58. In series in this conductor are the contacts 64 which inthe position shown are closed by the switch device 65 controlled from the cam element 24, the contacts 66 and the press button 62. The contacts 66 are controlled by the cam 42 of the mould carriage 26 by way of a switch device 61. From the coil 58 'the current flows through the conductor 63h by way of the contacts 55 to a contact 68 disposed in the time switch 40. 'Ihe contact 68 is connected with the contact by means'of the mercury switch 69 and is connected with the phase Tof the three phase supply by means of the conductor 1l. J

Thus byr pressing the button 62 current is sup.- plied tothe coil 66, the motor F is energized and closes the mould. After a short motion of the mould carriage 26 the cpnductorsis interrupted at 66. In the meantime, however, by actuating thev switch 5l the contacts 'l2 have been closed whereby by means oi.' the conductor 13 the conmet ss and the press button n are bridged. consequently after being depressed for a short time the press button 62 can be released lwithout causing the motor F to be arrested.

When the toggle lever abuts against the stop 4|l there is a brief closure of the contact 15 in the conductor 14. Thereby the magnet coil 'Il of the time switch 48 receives current from the phase S which can ow over the conductor 14h to the contact 68 and in the position of the switch 69 which is shown in the drawings and still persists at this time, to the phase T. Due to the attraction of the amature 11 the mercury switch 69 is tilted and the contacts 18 and trolled from the cam element 25 closes in the Y initial position the contact 82. After the reversal of the mercury switch, a current ilows from the phase S by way ofthe conductor 83a to the coil 83 and from thence by way of the conductor 83h via the contact 82 and further via the contact 84 to the conductor 19h and further by way of the contacts 18, 18 and conductor 1I to the phase T. The coil 83 throws in the switch 85 and the motor A is now short circuited by way ofa smallpart of the resistance 88; By throwing in the switch 85 the contacts 88 are short circuited and thus the contacts 82, which are opened after a short movement of the piston 8, are bridged. An interruption of the circuit of the coil 83 can now occur only by opening the contact 84. This occurs when the motor current owing through the coil 81 exceeds a certain magnitude. In this case the switch 85 is released and the motor is short circuited by way of the entire resistance 88. The resistance 88 is so dimensioned that adequate pressure is still exerted on the element which has already been injection molded.

The injection cylinder is continuously heated by the heating body 4 which is connected to the phases S and T by way ofthe resistance 88 and the conductors 89a and 89h. Towards the end of the injection operation an increased heating is eiected by short circuiting a part of the resistance 88. Thisis effected by way of the conductor 89e which short circuits a part of the resistance 88 by means of thelswitch device 65 by bridging the contacts 98.

'I'he end of the forward motion of the working piston is controlled by the time switch 48. In the time switchis located an induction motor Vthe coil of which is indicated by 9| and the amature of which is indicated by 92. The coil 9| is continuously connected with the phases S and T by means of the conductors 92a, 92h and 1|. 'I'he armature 92 runs at constant speed and drives a gear wheel 93 by way of a worm. By the attraction of the armature 11 a toothed segment 94 is brought into engagement with the gear wheel 93 and after a predetermined adjustable interval is` again disengaged by the motion of the gear wheel 93. Simultaneously the mercury switch 89 is tilted downwardly. The connection of the contacts 18 and 18 is interrupted. 'I'he coil 59 is deenergized and the motor A is out out.

the initial position. In this position the circuit is again interrupted by opening the contacts and the motor A is brought to rest.

Shortly after the commencement of the rearward motion of the piston 3, the contacts 98 are interrupted by the switch device 85 and thus the increased heating is switched oil'.

In order in the return motion to be able to throw in the resistance 88 again, a conductor 83e is provided which allows a current to ow through the coil 88, by way of the contacts 82a which are closed at this moment.

By means of the switch device 85 the contacts 84 are bridged at the commencement of the return motion of the piston, a current` then ows through'the conductors 63a, 91a by way of the contacts 98 in the time switch 43'through the contacts 99 to the coil 68 and from thence through the conductor 91h by way of the contacts 54 to the contact 88 of the mercury switch 69. At this moment the contact 68 is connected with the contact 18 so that the current passes by way of the contact 18 through the conductor 1| to the phase T. The contacts 99 are short circuited shortly after the commencement of the closing motion by means of a switch device |88 which in the samerway as switch device 61 is controlled by thecontact cam 42 of the mold carriage 28. As is apparent from the form of the contact, this connection is maintained during the remaining closing motion and during the greater part of the opening motion.

Disposed in the time switch 43 similarly to the K time switch 48, is an induction motor, the coil I 8| of which is continuously connected with the phasesrS and T` by way of the conductors |82al and |8217. .The armature |83 of the motor drives a gear wheel by way of a worm, and thereby drives a cam. After a short motion this cam interrupts the circuit of the coil 68 so that the rearward motion of the mold carriage 26 is arrested, this occurring shortly before the mold carriage 21 engages the screws 38h serving as an abutment. In this position the mold remains closed but is however separated from the nozzle 5. The molded element can be cooled without any risk of the material in the mouth of the nozzle becoming solid. The` mold carriages remain in this position until after the expiry of an adjustable period, the contacts 98 are again short circuited under the action of a spring. The coil 68 is again energized. The motorF is switched in in the opening direction and the motion continues until the contacts 99 are separated by the switch device |88. The opening of the mold occurs as soon as the mold carriage 21 abuts against the front stops 38h.

Shortly before the end of the rearward motion of the mold carriage 28 the abutment 48 engages the pin 39a. 'Ihe movable part ofthe mold is urged forwardly and thereby the molded element is ejected from the opened mold. It falls by way of an inclined chute into the co1- lecting receptacle (not shown). The injection molding device is now in the initial position and be opened and closed, mold operating mechanism, l

an electric motorV for driving the mold operating mechanism, an injection piston adapted to'force the plastic into the mold, an electric motor i'or driving said piston, and a control system for both said motors having means operated directlyirom pisto'n movement for controlling ,the piston motor, means with time delay from piston movement for controlling the piston motor, means operated in mechanical and timed. dependency on the mold operating mechanism for controlling the piston motor, means operated from piston movement to control the mold drive motor, and means operated from the mold operating mechanism for controlling said mold drive motor.

2. An installation according to claim 1, in which means are provided in the control system operative-to stop themold drive lmotor when the mold is in closed position and alsol to start the 1 piston motor with a predetermined time -delay and to reverse said motor at the end of the injection stroke oi the piston, means i'or varying the timing of said movements of the piston, and means in the control system for stopping the piston motor after the-piston returns to' initial -position. y

3. An electro-mechanical installation according to claim 1, in whichiineans are provided in the control system operative after the beginning of the return stroke oi the piston for starting the m'old drive motor in the direction to open the mold, means in said system for producing an interruption of adjustable duration in the mold opening movement, means in said system operated by the mold operating mechanism for stopping the mold motor at the endo! the opening movement, and means eiiective prior to said stoppage for ejecting a casting from the mold.

4. An electro-magnetic installation for die casting plastics comprising an injection nozzle, a mold adapted to be opened and closed, said mold having a driven member cooperating with a member slidable relatively to the nozzle, stops deiining the limits of sliding of said last mentioned member, spring means between the mold members, a toggle mechanism 'connected to the driven member and adapted to apply the mold in closed position to the nozzle against the action of said spring means, an electrici motor for driving the toggle mechanism, an injectionv piston adapted to force the plastic through the nomle, an electric motor tor driving said piston, anda conin'ol system for said motors having means operated, directly from piston movement iforl the piston motor, means operated with time delay from piston movement for controlling the piston motor, means operatedin mechanical and timed dependency upon the mold operated m for controlling `the piston 'motor'. means operated from piston movement for controlling the mold drive motor, and means operated from the driven member of the mold for controlling the mold drive motor.

5. An installation according to claim 4, in which Y thetoggle mechanism includes a crank, a connecting rod jointed to the driven mold member. and a toothed sector on the crank, said sector being geared to the1 mold operating motor.

6. An installation according to claim 4, in which an ejector plunger is arranged in the driven mold member cooperating with a xed stop for actuating the plunger to eject a casting from the mold.

'1. An installation according to claim 1, in which the piston drive motor hasa rotor with a variable Y resistance in the rotor circuit and in which means are included in the c'ontro system for automatically increasing said resistance towards the end of the injection stroke of thepiston.

8. An electro-mechanical installation according to claim l, in which a heating circuit is associated with the mold, said circuit including a series resistance, and in which means are provided in the control circuit for automatically short circuiting a part of the said resistance towards-the end of the injection stroke of the piston.

9. An electro-mechanical installation for die casting plastics comprising a mold adapted to be opened and closed, mold operating mechanism, an electric motor for driving the mold operating mechanism, an injection piston adapted to vforce the plastic into the mold, anelectric, motor for driving said piston, a control system for both said motors having means operated directly from piston movement for controlling the piston motor, means with time delay from piston movement for controlling the piston motor, means operated in mechanical and timed dependency on the moldV operating mechanism for controlling the piston motor, and means operated from piston movement to control the mold drive motor. j

' HANS GASTROW. 

